Payphone
by Monkeyromance
Summary: The idea that love, any love, can withstand even the harshest colds, the most brutal of heat, and even the test of time in itself if inspiring and a thread to cling to when all hope is lost. But, can it handle the bloodiness of war and a single call many years later? USxUK;inspired by the song "Payphone" by Maroon5; oneshot


It was dark, raining. He could feel the rain hitting his body. dripping down, soaking his clothes and irritating his skin. It was cold, so cold. Why was it so cold?

"All I want is my freedom!" He flinched physically. "I am no longer a child; no longer your little brother."

"W-what?" He couldn't help but whimper. "W-why-y?"

"From now on, consider me independent!"

"No!" His green eyes flew open and he jolted awake in his bed. His eyes searched the room, finding himself in his English manor not far from the League of Nations building. He pushed himself up in his bed, his sheets slipping and showing he was clothed in nothing but a black pair of boxers. He lifted his free hand to his face and rubbed his eyes, failing to be surprised to find dried tear marks on his face.

"Britain, not again." He whispered to himself before throwing off the remaining blankets and climbing out of bed. "It's been over two hundred years, you would think the memory would not hurt as much anymore."

Britain brushed his teeth, trying to forget. He attempted to block the memory out when he was dressing. Yet that pesky memory continued to plague Britain as he collected his things, placing them into his bag, and made himself some breakfast. Britain set himself down at his table out on his veranda, munching on toast and trying to drown out the sound of gunfire in his memory, when his gaze feel on his mobile.

/~/~/~/

America didn't know what to do. His economy was falling, people rearranging his rules to fit their own needs. He needed help. He needed someone who help him out, someone he could trust.

Why would Britain care though? America had wanted to be independent and move out of England's house, but now he was wanting to crawl back.

Had he totally burned down this bridge.

America picked up the payphone, and dialed. He prayed that Britain would pick up.

It accord to him that maybe bringing God into anything that had to to with England was a bad idea. The thought was pushed away as the phone started to ring.

/~/~/~/

Britain shook his head and looked down into his cup of tea.

"You would never call me." He explained as he took a sip. Sitting across from him was a small, child form of what America once was playing with a toy Britain had hand made himself many, many years ago. Britain sighed heavily. "I'm so close to giving up on you, America."

"Why?" The phantom America tipped his head to the side, hugging the toy close to his chest, his big blue eyes probing Britain's.

"You've changed. I-I lost you." Britain slowly placed his tea cup down as his mobile phone started to vibrate. "And I don't think I might be able to get anything between us back."

America looked down at the mobile phone and nudged it towards Britain.

"Is it too late to try?"

Britain picked up the mobile, noting the blocked number. Without hesitation his slide his thumb across the screen and held it to his ear.

"Arthur Kirkland, may I ask who's calling?"

/~/~/~/

"Hey. Hey Britain! Dude you have no idea how happy I am that you answered. I wasn't sure that you would, you know things are getting hard and I'm the hero so you know I'll pull through, but... I kind of need your help this time."

America looked around and found Tony beside him holding up a map, "Right thanks bro." He said as he grabbed the map from his alien friend. "Uh England, I kinda need you to pick me up."

He looked down as he heard his stomach growl.

"I'm broke dude" America voice grew soft. "The last of my change I used to make this phone call." America closed his eyes. "I'm really hungry and I have no where to turn."

America covered his eyes with his hand. "Where have the times gone? This... This is all wrong"

/~/~/~/

Britain looked over to see the phantom child form of America smiling and nodding at him. Britain sighed slowly shaking his head.

"Where are you?" Britain couldn't help but feel slightly convenient. "We can always grab you something on the way to the meeting."

Silence echoed from the other end.

"Don't tell me you forgot about it." Britain's hand came up and hit against his forehead as his brain chanted 'please don't be that idiotic.'

/~/~/~/

America couldn't help but to laugh, suddenly his mood was picked up greatly.

"Dude, how did you know?! You must be a mind reader or some shit! Tony said I'm..." He squinted at the map, "About 100 miles away, from the meeting place. Hey! I think there is a McDonalds somewhere near this joint!"

America gave England the exact address.

/~/~/~/

England sighed into the phone as he went inside to grab his keys, little America dancing around his feet.

"Just don't hang up on me." Britain locked up his manor before climbing into his car. "First that bloody dream, then the little-" Britain glanced in the rear view mirror at little America playing with the doll and his voice caught a little "-and now this. You never intend to give me a fair chance here, do you?"

/~/~/~/

"Dude what the hell are you talking about? Are you dreaming about me? That's a little creepy Britain." America laughed and walked to the sidewalk and sat on the curb, Tony sitting next to him.

America looked up into the sky, the sun warming his face. "Sttill stuck in the time where we called it love?" America smiled up at the sun, lightly teasing Britain.

/~/~/~/

Britain sighed. "Listen, I know its hard to remember the people we used to be... But for me? It's always hard to picture, to realize that your not here with me."

Britain pulled on to the highway.

/~/~/~/

"Funny you say that. I know I've said it before but all my bridges burned down. I wasted my nights and you've turned out the lights."

America could never forget how Britain had abused his power, and taxed him for everything he did. America had never been good enough for Britain, and he knew that.

"Now I'm paralyzed." He muttered thinking of how he had no where to go, no place to turn. All he had was Britain, the man he ran from 200 years ago.

/~/~/~/

"I'm still stuck." Britain whispered. "I've been stuck there for over two hundred years. I don't expect you to care." Anger spiked Britain's blood. He wanted America to care. He wanted it so much it hurt. "But did you ever really expect me to be fine? After all of that?"

Britain sighed. "We called it love, didn't we? But I didn't turn out the lights, Alfred. You did."

/~/~/~/

America blinked dumbly, the phone still pressed to his ear. "No you're the one that was wrong Arthur."

It had been so long since they had called each other by their real names.

"I guess even the sun sets in paradise. We had plans for two. Me and you, Iggy. I wanted my freedom, that's all that I had wanted, but you didn't want to give it to me. Why could you just not give that one thing?"

America felt his emotions bubbling up.

/~/~/~/

"Al, if happy every afters did exist we would..." Britain broke off unsure of what to say, he sure as hell couldn't finish that sentence. "All those fairy-tales are full of shit. Freedom, isn't all it's cracked up to be."

The radio is the car started to play Bruno Mars.

"Ugh." Britain smacked the power button. "One more fucking love song and I'll be sick."

/~/~/~/

"Hey do you remember what we were like before you left me. The way I would hug you, dude I was like a monkey on your back." America laughed. "I know it's hard to remember who we used to be... things where so simple back then." America sighed. "But you only thought of me as a little brother and that's all you would ever think of me as."

/~/~/~/

Britain closed his eyes momentarily before looking back on the road.

"All you ever think of me as is your enemy, Al." He sighed deeply. "I don't know what to think of you as any more."

/~/~/~/

"I never thought of you as you as the enemy Iggy. We had the wrong relationship back then, and we still do. I meant to fix the problem but just made another one instead. At least it was an improvement"

/~/~/~/

"Perhaps for you." Britain muttered.

/~/~/~/

America looked over at his companion. "Eww Tony! Don't pick noses bro, that's nasty!"

Tony just shrugged but didn't stop. America faced forward again.

"Look Brit. Dude... we didn't love each other the same way."

/~/~/~/

"What does that mean?" Heartbeat was beating faster.

/~/~/~/

"You loved me like a little brother, a child. I love you like... I love you like how Germany and Italy love each other. Look I think the time on this payphone is almost out, and as I said I have no more money to put in. Your still coming to get me right? You wont leave me?"

When he didn't get a response he realized the time was up on the payphone. America stood up and shuffled back to the pay phone box and replaced the phone.

Tony stared up at him, turning his head to the side.

"Don't give that look!" America pointed to the aliens face.

/~/~/~/

"Al? Al?! Baby don't hang up!" Britain felt his heart crumble. "I'm begging you please don't go, I have to tell you something you need to know!"

A tear escaped from his emerald green eye as the dial tone rang in his ear.

"What were you going to tell me?" Britain nearly jumped when the phantom child spoke.

"I-I-I-"

"You know, to be happy." Phantom America grabbed his hand. "And to be able to love the real me, you have to let me go."

"No! I can't! I won't! I-"

"Shhh." America smiled brightly at him. "I'm not-he's not- your brother anymore. He's more then that."

"Stop." Britain felt a shiver run down his spine. "Just, please, stop."

"Just say it everything and you have a chance."

"A chance for what exactly?"

The phantom looked at him sadly. "To get what you lost."

"I can get that by telling him how I feel?" Britain asked disbelievingly.

"Well, how do you feel?"

"About that annoying, pigheaded, narcissistic, idiotic, talking hamburger?" Britain asked angrily, his heart pounding against his ribs. "I fucking love him. But what does that matter?"

Britain turned his head to glare at the phantom only to find nothing but a leather seat.

"Where the hell did you go?!"

/~/~/~/

Hands held his head as he sat back down on the curb. "How long do you think it will be before he shows up?" He asked the alien.

Of course Tony didn't actually know, but America felt so alone, he had to talk to someone. He started humming one of the top hit songs of his country.

Figures... it was another love song.

He felt his stomach lurch.

/~/~/~/

Britain saw America on the side of the road and felt his heart get heavy. Almost like it was full. That was before he saw Tony, the alien, sitting next to him.

"How do you have a heart to heart with someone when an alien is watching?" Britain grumbled.

/~/~/~/

"Hey! Britain, dude! You came! Hell yeah!" America called out happily and fist pumped the air. "See ya later Tony." America called over his shoulder to his friend as he entered the passenger side of Britain car.

"Thanks Brit." He said as he buckled in, "Now lets get to that meeting for the league of nations!"

/~/~/~/

Britain forced a laugh. "Didn't you want to eat?"

/~/~/~/

"Still do! There should be a McDonald around here. We can go through the drive-thru."

/~/~/~/

"Alright." Britain drove directly there, ordered a rather large but usual amount of burgers, and then headed to the building. "So... how did you actually end up out there?"

/~/~/~/

America took a big bite out of his burger.

"I had no money so I took a cab up there to the bank, but the bank said I had no money. I have to wait till pay day." He swallowed, and gulped some pop to wash it down, "My boss isn't paying me as much anymore either, everything is expensive."

/~/~/~/

"Hmm." Britain kept his eyes on the road. "Well that wanker bloody well sucks. How bad is it really?" Britain raised an eyebrow. "I never brought it up before, but it looks like everything you set out to do originally was corrupted as soon as your people found out they could vote in people to change everything and anything."

/~/~/~/

"What do you suggest dude?" This is why America also wanted Britain. He always knew what to do.

/~/~/~/

Britain opened his mouth, his mind already full of ideas before he snapped it shut. This was what split them apart. This was how that stupid war happened. America didn't know what to do, he put Britain in charge, than he hated Britain, blamed him for everything he had tried to do to help, and then started a war.

Britain wasn't ready for anything like that ever again. It still hurt.

"Not a bloody briliant idea to ask me." Britain sighed deeply as they started to pull into the parking lot. "There was a war that was fought to stop me from telling you what to do, Al. I would rather not have to go through that again."

/~/~/~/

"It really bugged you that much huh? ...was it because I was your little brother?" America over exaggerated the last two words, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

/~/~/~/

"I loved you so much, and you ripped my heart out after you asked me to help." Britain parked and glanced at America before he climbed out of the car. "Am I meant to just get over that? You pretty much threw it on the ground and stomped on it. It's not the easiest thing in the world, America. But you have never felt that. You wouldn't know."

/~/~/~/

America rounded the car until he was on Britain's side.

"Look, help and total control are two different things. Back then you asked me why I couldn't just follow anything through... it was because you wouldn't allow me to be my own person, you wouldn't let me grow. I didn't need to follow through with something that needed to change. If you haven't noticed, which you you probably haven't, your a crazy old man, but I still love you dude, no matter what you did, and no matter how blind you are to the truth or my feelings."

/~/~/~/

"Than why did you hand over all control over to me?" Britain forced himself to glare up at America, his blood pounding in his veins. "And I am not old, I'm twenty three."

Britain brushed past America heading towards the entrance before freezing momentarily.

"And I know how you love me." Britain sighed slowly shaking his head. "I'm just your ally. I'm convenient. And when it's no longer convenient I'll be abandoned by you. Funny though, I never abandoned you. Even when you won the war. And it may have come off as I hate you, but I don't." Britain's voice broke faintly and her cursed himself. "I really don't."

Without another word Britain walked quickly to the entrance, trying to compose himself.

'Why let France see me distressed? He'll only try to rape me again.' A shiver ran down his spine. 'Besides, there are negotiations to be made.'

/~/~/~/

America was stuck in spot for a moment before he chased after Britain, how dare he just walk away! America grabbed him before he reached the door of the conference room. He could others talking inside but didn't care.

"I make mistakes too you know! I'm not perfect no matter how hard I try. I try to make things better for the both of us, but all you care about is you and your one sided happiness. What about my happiness?"

Alfred felt his eyes water.

"You're blind to anything you don't want to see and your deaf to anything you don't want to hear. That's why I call you old! Your scones taste like dog food, and you need to do something about those crazy caveman eyebrows. You don't care though, you live in your own little world. That's why your friends are imaginary. I am NOT your little brother! I'm Alfred Jones! I am America, the land of the free! I don't need to be under you but beside you. I'm not in your head and you can't control me, like it or not!"

America grabbed Britain by his jacket pulling him forward by his jacket and gave him him a hard kiss but quickly pushed him away, allowing Britain to hit the wall.

"I'm not your little brother anymore." He repeated as he steeped into the meeting, all eyes turned to him.

/~/~/~/

Britain slipped down the wall, his head pulsing where it had smacked into it. Little brother? Well that thought was long gone now. Britain was paralyzed, sitting there on the floor leaning against the wall, his arms limp. Britain looked down at his knees. All those days...

'I've wasted my nights.' Britain thought to himself. 'Trying to be a big brother when he didn't want one. I tried hating him like it seemed he wanted. I've attempted not to care. But what if he want's is exactly the something I...'

"If happy ever after did exist, I would still be holding you like this. All those fairytales are full of shit. One more fucking love song I'll be sick. Now baby don't hang up so I can tell you what you need to know. Baby I'm begging you, just please don't go, so I can tell you what you need to know..." Britain whispered under his breath as America walked in to the room the doors swinging closed behind him. "Just don't leave me here alone."

Britain pushed himself to his feet, steadying his nerves as he made his way to his seat right across from America. Somehow, somehow Britain had to tell him.

/~/~/~/

I'm assuming everyone is here now, so lets have this conference convene!" America announced acting the same as always. "So whats going on another country wants to join of something? Because I don't think we should recognize another country. it's hard keeping track of the ones that are already here."

America announced proudly at sat back in his chair.

/~/~/~/

Britain caught a crack in America's logic.

"If that is the case, two hundred years ago you yourself would have been denied entrance." Britain smiled faintly as the fighting started to break out. Britain stood up, carefully side stepping France, Italy, and Germany, and sat on America's table. He looked down in to America's eyes before tipping his head to the side slightly. "Your not fair, you know that?"

Without a warning Britain grabbed America by the front of his shirt, a few buttons popped off, and pulled America to him. Britain then, gently, placed his lips on America's, ignoring the gasps from those closest to them. Britain then pulled away a little, his hands still clinging to America's shirt.

"You pigheaded, ignorant, hamburger hogging, asinine, idiotic, dangerous, child-like excuse for a country." Britain looked deep into America's blue eyes. "And yet, no matter what I say, I love you more and more every passing day."

/~/~/~/

America blinked a few times. Britain just kissed him. Britain kissed him in front of the other nations. Britain just insulted him. Britain just kissed him.

America slowly broke out into a goofy smile and started to laugh hysterically while pulling Britain into his lap and wrapping his arms around the weaker nation.

"That's great bro! We should like totally celebrate!" America once again broke into loud laughter, "We're in love dude!"

/~/~/~/

Britain glared at America momentarily before laughing as well.

"Goggymuppet." Britain replied before resting his head against America's shoulder and threw his legs on top of America's desk, crossing his ankles. "But I'm the hero this time."

/~/~/~/

America turned his head to the side. "How?"

/~/~/~/

"I saved us." Britain smiled as he kissed America's jaw.

/~/~/~/

"I would like to think I saved you... but you really did save me." America smiled back.

"Yay!" America could hear Italy shout. "We can have a wedding, and pasta for everyone! We should get married next Germany! Then everyone can have wedding soup with their pasta!"

America didn't need to look, to know that Germany was blushing, he didn't care though as he kissed Britain again.

/~/~/~/

Britain laughed into America's lips as he closed his eyes.

/~/~/~/

America laughed while still lip locked to Britain.

'Thank God for payphones!'

((This is Pumpkin here, Monkey and I would like to thank you for reading our first Hetalia story. Please comment and give us reviews More reviews mean that we will feel like you want more stories, like these, and they will be posted faster. Fave and follows help more and so does constructive cretinism. See you all next time!))


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